Looks Like Rain
by Krypticmessage
Summary: "I should have been there." Linus has regrets.    T to be safe.


A/N: Just a little story I wrote for a friend, who threatened me into posting it, even though I don't really like the way it turned out.

Warnings: Nothing really, "character death" (you'll see the reason for the quotation marks)

Pairings: None

Dedication: To Alyssa. Like I already said. Happy B-day you pushy, wonderful person you.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except a laptop, evil muses and pushy friends. So don't sue me. =)

Looks Like Rain

He never thought it would come to this; staring down at a rain-streaked slab of rock, bearing his friend's name. Thunder rolled around him, lightning flickering through the sky farther down the horizon.

"Kid?" Rusty's voice was gentle, and an accompanying hand touched his shoulder.

"I should have been there." He said hoarsely. "They…he…"

"You couldn't have done anything." Danny was on his other side, voice as gentle as Rusty's.

"The last thing I said to them was not to hurry back." Linus almost choked. "When they said they were going."

Silence lasted for a moment.

"I didn't really dislike him, you know." He whispered.

"I know." He wasn't sure who said it; maybe both.

"I actually really liked him. And Turk. Both of them." He raised his voice slightly. "I…I never had siblings. They were the closest thing to brothers I had."

"Virgil knew that, Linus." Danny was being quiet.

"They asked me if I wanted to go; but they knew I would say no. They knew I wouldn't be there. I should have said yes. I should have been there." He bit out. "If I had been there I could have seen those men. I could have stopped them-"

"Kid, as amazing as you are, you could not stop a bullet." Rusty said, not harshly.

"But, maybe if they had seen another person they wouldn't have tried to rob them…" Linus shuddered with the pressure of unreleased sobs.

"Linus, those men weren't intimidated by two men; they wouldn't have hesitated for three." Danny was the voice of reason.

"But, I could have done something. Anything. Then they wouldn't have had to shoot Virgil. Then Turk wouldn't have had to fight them off by himself." Linus was no longer holding the tears in.

"Kid, they don't blame you."

"How would you know? Turk still hasn't woken up from his coma, and Virgil's dead!" The anger was raw. "I see all the looks the guys give me. They blame me."

"No, Kid, they do not. They stare at you because they see you slowly killing yourself with guilt. Like now."

"I should have been there." Linus whispered. Neither of his companions responded.

"Why did they have to walk? The one time in their life they decide to walk somewhere and this happens."

Danny opened his mouth to speak but Linus cut him off. "They were the _drivers _for Pete's sake. Why couldn't they drive? Why did they walk? And why did they walk down that street?" The tears were flowing free now. "It was raining that night. It was dark, it was deserted, and it was a text-book mugging waiting to happen! Why? Why did they do it?" The rain had soaked through to his skin, but he couldn't care less.

"I don't know, Linus." Danny's voice sounded wounded. "I just don't know."

"I was the last person to talk to them. I should have talked them out of it."

"You had no idea what would happen, Kid. You are not to blame."

Linus just stared at the tombstone. "I should have been there." He whispered as a sharp flash of lightening blinded him.

Linus sat straight up, yelling. He blinked, seeing the hotel suite come into focus; he was stretched out on the couch. Everyone was staring at him; concern apparent.

"You okay, Kid?" Rusty asked, licking his fingers then shoving another corn chip in his mouth.

Linus didn't answer, just looked around desperately.

"Little nightmare, Minus? Want your blanky? Virgil, leaning against the wall far down the hallway, smirked at him. His brother, mirroring his twin's smirk, chuckled.

" Turk! Virgil!" Linus charged at them.

"Hey, man, I'll stop calling you that! I swear!" Virgil looked genuinely terrified at the sight of the other man running at him. "I'm sorry!"

"Linus!"

"Kid!"

The concern in Danny and Rusty's voices from the other room didn't even pull Linus up short. He tackled Virgil, hugging him tight.

"Help! He's gonna kill me!" Virgil squeaked as he tried not to fall at the impact.

"Hey, man, what's wrong?" Turk was trying to pull Linus off of his twin.

"I just…sorry. Bad dream; I hadn't quite woke up. You startled me. Sorry." Linus quickly released the Malloy and apologized again.

"Linus, you okay?" Virgil frowned, all teasing smirks gone. "I mean it."

"I'm fine."

"What is going on? Everyone okay?" Danny asked from behind him, coming from the other room as soon as Linus charged off the couch. The rest of the crew was following him at a slightly slower pace

"Everyone's fine." Linus said, trying to tame his smile but could not. "Completely fine."

"Okay. You need some more sleep, Kid, if you take off like that." Rusty frowned.

"Oh, you're going to lecture someone on getting enough sleep?" Danny raised an eyebrow. "Look, I think we all need some food. You two, go get some. I don't care what. Linus, take an aspirin. You look a little pale."

Linus nodded as the Malloys grabbed their jackets.

"What are you thinking? Burgers? Pizza?" Turk asked.

"How about hamburger pizza?" Virgil suggested.

Linus shook his head as he headed into the bathroom to his left. He opened the cabinet and popped an aspirin listening to the banter; never realizing how much he would have missed it if it…ended.

"Hey, wanna walk?" Turk suggested.

_What? No, no, no. _Linus thought.

"Why not? Basher's souping up the car, so we can't use it anyway." Virgil for once was agreeing with his brother. "Do you think we should ask the kid to come with?"

"Yeah, he seemed a little freaked out about something. Probably should distract him. He probably won't come anyway. Hey, Linus!" The last words were raised for Linus's benefit.

"W. What?" Linus could barely choke out.

"Wanna come with us?" Turk sounded doubtful, like he already knew the answer.

_No, no, no, no, no, no, no. _He saw the thunderclouds forming through the window. _"It was raining that night…" "They walked…" _

"Come with you?" He left the bathroom, barely noticing he was still holding the aspirin bottle.

"Yeah, we're gonna go get food." Virgil was speaking slowly, eyeing him.

"Um, yeah, I'll go." Linus grabbed his jacket. _It was just a dream. _He told himself. _But if it wasn't…_

"But we drive. " His tone was final.

The two looked surprised he said yes, and even more surprised when he tossed his keys to Virgil.

"We'll take my car."

"Dude, you said if we even touched your car you'd kill us. What's up?" Turk looked curious.

Linus couldn't explain it; even if he had wanted to. He finally shrugged.

"It looks like rain."


End file.
